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Castlebrae Primary Cluster

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Departmental Handbook

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Castlebrae Cluster

Modern Languages Policy



monolingualism is curable

Mission Statement


Within the Castlebrae Cluster Schools all learners from Primary 6 to S4 have the opportunity to learn a modern foreign language in a continuous and progressive programme leading to a national qualification.


Rationale


  • Given the strong influence of other European languages on the English language, the opportunity to learn one can significantly enhance the learner’s ability in English.
  • Learning about different cultures leads to a breaking down of a narrow, nationalistic outlook and promotes intercultural understanding and communication.
  • Politically and culturally our country is closely linked with the rest of Europe.


Aims



  • To enable the learners to gain a mastery of productive and receptive skills appropriate to their developmental level.

  • To enable the learners to build and exploit a personal construct of the grammar and structure of the language (i.e. their own internalised grammar).

  • To provide a rich and stimulating learning environment which takes account of the different learning styles of the learners and the variety of media at the teacher’s disposal.

  • To ensure progression and continuity in learning at a pace appropriate to the learner’s capacities.

  • To raise awareness of, and respect for, other cultures.


Resources


Human: Learning and teaching will be provided by the appropriately trained primary teacher or by the ML secondary teacher supported and assisted by the Foreign Conversation Assistant.

Time: In the primary, one class lesson will be provided each week. Additionally routine daily tasks (e.g. dinner money) will be conducted in the foreign language as often as possible to enable us to meet the national target of 75 minutes per week. In the secondary there will be four 45 minute lessons per week or equivalent. At all levels learners will be required to consolidate learning at home.

Current Learning Aids (French):
Collins Primary French Starter Pack : Flash Forward Cards
Français Français – songs and CD: Miniflashcards – Ici on parle français
Developing French 1,2,3 (Black); Jeux faciles; Allez France – photocopiable resources; GCC Primary Resources CD Rom
Métro + Métro electro

Current Learning Aids (German):
Primary German Starter Pack (Jim Wilson): Flash Forward Cards
Start German with a song (Goethe Institute)
Superspiele - photocopiable resources.
Senlac Auf die Plätze (photocopiable listening materials)
Logo
GCC Primary Resources CD Rom

Current Media available:
Video, DVD, CDs, audio cassettes, TV, web, classroom in a box, email, cluster website, video conferencing


Methodology


  • The emphasis in the Primary Schools will be on oral activities. Reading and writing will nevertheless be an integral part of the course. In the Secondary language learning will become more formalised to give increasing importance to the skills of reading and writing, particularly for more able learners.

  • Wherever possible the FL learning will be integrated into the rest of the curriculum, e.g. FL posters done in Art time, shopping in FL as part of Number work, customs and traditions as Environmental Studies.

  • Learning intentions and success criteria are clearly stated for each lesson.

  • Within the FL lesson, the FL is the medium of communication wherever possible.

  • Learners work individually, in pairs, in groups or as a whole class as appropriate.

  • There are clear guidelines as to methodology in the teacher’s books and the cluster website. These form the basis of the methodology.

Assessment


  • Formative assessment is built in to the programme which is also linked to 5-14 levels and strands to allow for summative assessment and reporting.

  • There are regular opportunities for both self and peer evaluation both with regard to progress in the language and to behavioural and attitudinal targets.

  • Teachers feed back to learners on their progress and next steps.

  • Teachers evaluate the effectiveness of the methodology and resources in the light of the assessments and modify their teaching as required.

  • Assessments are recorded in a secure area of the website to allow for easy transfer of information from one class to the next and from one teacher to another.